CARgo: Fixing flats; forgetful parkers

Originally published: January 31, 2013

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1. Flat tire fix: It’s good that manufacturers continue to provide a spare tire in the trunk in the case of a flat, but this practice assumes that people actually know how to change a tire, but most people do not. What people can do is follow easy instructions, and the Super Spare instant re-usable tire repair and inflating system is nothing if not easy. The device features two hoses attached to a container that has patching material inside. All the user needs to do is plug one hose into the damaged tire and the other hose into a tire that’s fully inflated. The air pressure from the fully inflated tire will push the patching material into the damaged tire, ultimately forcing the material to fill the patch, and letting the damaged tire operate until it can be safely replaced. This option may not fully replace the benefits of a full replacement tire, but people with no prior tire-swapping ability aren’t going to suddenly know how to do it when they are in a lurch at the side of the freeway. $13; visit superspare.com.

2. Forget where you parked? Kensington’s Proximo Starter Kit is a brand new tag-and-track system that features a Bluetooth tag and a keychain fob that work in conjunction with an iPhone app to make sure people don’t lose sight of their cellphone and other valuables, most importantly, their car. Attach the tag to the device you want to track and an alarm can be configured to go off when the fob and tag are too far apart. The tag also interacts with an iPhone app that can track its last known whereabouts when the tag is out of Bluetooth range, with a pin showing exactly where on the map the device was left. This is of particular use to absent-minded car owners who return to their parked car with no idea where they actually parked it, because the parked car can be tracked via the app. And since users can buy additional tags, they can tag and track just about anything because Proximo permits the use of customizable alarm tones, images and labels for the items that you’re tracking. $60; visit kensington.com.